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Using a tarp at night...

Hi All,

In watching a lot of the videos (Shug's videos, mostly), I've noticed that the tarp is always used at night. I was wondering if this is necessary on really clear nights, or does the tarp serve other purposes besides keeping the rain out?

I have a solid tarp from Hennessy, and it would block my view of the moon. :-)

I have hung sans tarp for unhindered view, and have got up in a hurry to deploy the tarp as well. Postal makes a good point about ABMs (Aerial Bowel Manouevers). The best compromise is probably pitching your tarp in porch mode. One of these days I plan to use some super six (vapour barrier) as a see through tarp for maximum view and protection from birds and rain.

Real tarp skins would be nice, But, truth is, one surplus tube sock cut into several bands that are spaced across the tarp achieves much of that to hold the tarp out of the way.

Another truth is that if you'll let symmetry be violated and will hang the tarp off-center of mid-lines to the trees, both sides of the tarp can hang to one side of the hammock until you wish to deploy the loose half fully.

The first few nights I spent outdoors in a hammock was in my backyard. I did not have a hammocking tarp and rain was not expected. The skeeters were out so I used a bug net. I was comfortable and everything was going well until after midnight. That is when the dew started to form. By the time the sun rose, my bugnet was saturated and dripping, as was my suspension. I never thought much about it before then but my neighborhood here in SC often has dew or frost depending on the season. So I adapted and started using a tarp full time whenever "testing" in the backyard. I suppose there will be times where there is enough breeze or low humidity where I can do without but a properly rigged tarp not only removes those issues from the list of possible problems, it rules out other problems and can make things quite cozy.
=Sarge

"Live your life so that your children can tell their children that you not only stood for something wonderful- you acted on it"
-Dan Zadra

I was wondering if this is necessary on really clear nights, or does the tarp serve other purposes besides keeping the rain out?

The long and short of it is, no its not necessary, but yes the tarp serves other purposes. Between wind, falling leaves/twigs/small limbs, ABMs (lol), or like this last fall in my area SAP, the tarp just generally serves as a protective barrier.

I always pitch my tarp, usually high and wide if rain isn't expexted, I find it faster/easier to move a stake in a hurry/in the dark than to stake everything out.

As for watching the moon, I'm grateful for my cuben fiber.

"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." -Plato

Using a tarp at night...

Huh. There have been a many nights I have slept with the tarp rolled up above me so that I can look at the stars. Everything from 18*-50* and have never had a problem with ABM's or dew. I have had leaves fall in but that was about it. It is on of my favorite ways to sleep when I can.

Its nice without a tarp, but it seams like whenever I don't hang it I always get rained or snowed on and wake up in the middle of the night to my face getting wet. I Tri now to hang it most nights at least in porch mode. The tarp also helps keep warmth in by preventing wind from blowing around you.